Israel to secure its interests despite placement of S-300 systems in Syria

The Defence Forces stated the country's air force "are excellent intelligence and highly trained, skilled to continue to implement government directives"

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TEL AVIV, November 7. /TASS/. The Israeli military will continue to follow the government’s orders aimed at ensuring security of the country and protecting its interests, despite the placement of Russian S-300 missile systems, Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Jonathan Conricus told Russian journalists on Wednesday.

Conricus mentioned that Israeli and foreign media often ask whether the Israeli military will continue to fly over Syria after the placement of S-300 systems. "We continue to implement the government directives," he said, adding that they will be protecting the country’s security and interests.

"Israeli air force are excellent intelligence and [are] highly trained, skilled to continue to implement government directives," the spokesman stressed.

Il-20 crash

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, on September 17, a Russian Il-20 aircraft flying over the Mediterranean Sea back to the Russian Khmeimim air base in Syria disappeared from the radar during an airstrike carried out by four Israeli F-16 fighter jets on targets in the Syrian province of Latakia.

The Russian Defense Ministry informed that the Il-20 aircraft had been accidently downed by Syrian air defenses as the Israeli F-16 jets had been using it as cover.

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov stated that the Israeli Air Force and those who made the decision to use the Il-20 aircraft as cover were solely to blame for its crash, which claimed the lives of 15 Russian military servicemen.